Feeding means for weaving machines



Aug. 22,,1933. R ROSSMANN 1,923,954

FEEDING MEANS FOR WEAVING MACHINES Filed Sept. .16 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet lAug. 22, 1933. ROSSMANN 1,923,954

FEEDING MEANS FOR WEAVING MACHINES Filed Spt. 16, 1930 s Sheets-Sheet '2Fig.5

//A 1 V V1 2 Fig. 6

Aug. 22, 1933. RQSSMANN 1,923,954

FEEDING MEANS FOR WEAVING MACHINES Filed Sept. 16, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3Fig. 7a

1 "A -ix l Patented Au 22, 1933 1,923,954 FEEDING MEANS FOR WEAVINGMACHINES Rudolf Rossmann,

Munich, Germany, assignor to Tefag Textil Finanz A. G., Zurich,Switzerland Application September 16, 1930,

Serial No.

482,324, and in Germany September 23, 1929 12 Claims.

This invention has reference to feeding means for the weft or fillerthread in that kind of looms or weaving machines in which the filler isfed to the fabric by means of special gripping or feedinginstrumentalities, while the supply itself is retained outside of theshed, and it is intended to generally improve the operation of suchdevices and to devise means of an improved timing of the weft or fillerintroducing instrumentalities. In the devices of the general kindreferred to the filler thread which is withdrawn from a stationarysupply has to be secured to the gripping and thread introducing means,and accordingly to the weaving thread carrier before each pick of fillerintroducing step and it is then cut off, so that a length of threadcorresponding to the width of the fabric is introduced. In the case offiller threads of different colors or of different kind having to bealternatingly introduced into the fabric it becomes necessary to providemeans of individually securing these flller threads in a certain orderto the gripping means or thread carrier. The attempts and suggestionsmade heretofore in this direction were generally unsatisfactory andfailed to yield the desired uniform product. These and otherobjectionable features of the previous devices are avoided in thisinvention in a simple manner. The inven-. tion refers in view thereof tothe feeding movement of different filler threads or wefts with relationto the thread introducing means, thread carrier or the like, so that theparticular means of introducing the thread into the thread carrier, thebeating up movement and the like are not r particularly described inthis specification.

In order to be able to operate with a plurality of changes of the pickit is necessary to provide for the alternating utilization of as manystationary filling spools as possible which are therefore generallyarranged close to each other. They may be secured upon the frame of theloom or upon -a separate frame or the like. The different picks orfllling threads are led according to the invention from the stationaryspools by way of guiding and tensioning members to a correspondingnumber of rocking feeding levers which admit of being controlledindependently of each other in conformity with the pattern and which aremoreover provided with thread 0 clamping means adapted to take hold ofthe end of the particular filling threads. During the rocking movementof any one of the several individually controllable feeding levers theend of the particular filling thread is transferred to the grippingmeans or the thread carrier with the levers and slides, the said needlesbeing engaged with a stepwise fed paper ribbon or the like upon whichthe pattern is shown by perforations in the usual manner. In order toprevent injury of two or more simultaneously operated feeding levers inthe case of wrong perforating of the paper ribbon, the feeling needlesare connected withotherwise known ball-operated or rolleroperatedlocking and arresting means. As a rule the transferring of the end ofthe filling thread from the thread clamp or the feeding lever to theshuttle is effected at a distance from the edge of the fabric whichcorresponds to at least the length of the threadcarrien As a resultthereof, after the introduction of the web, there is obtained anundesirable projecting thread section between the severing point in thevicinity of the edge of the fabric and the thread clamping means of thefeeder. In order to eliminate this diflicul ty the feeding leversaccording to the invention may be combined with a special reciprocatingthread clamp which after the introducing of the pick or filler and thecutting off of the-thread will take hold of the thus produced fresh endof the weft. and will feed it to the thread clamp of the particularrocked feeding lever. The provision of such special reciprocating takingup clamps may however be dispensed with provided the feeding clamp,after having transferred the end of the filling thread to the threadcarrier, is caused to follow the thread carrier during the introductionof the filler up to the severing point, that is to say, within proximityof the edge of the fabric, so that, after the cutting of the filler thefreshly produced end of the filler may be immediately taken hold of bythe feeding clamp.

In the drawingaFigure 1 is a diagrammatic sketch illustrating therelationship of the threading rod, thread carrier and feeding clampbefore i the thread isfed to the carrier, and the manner of theirattachment to the loom base. I

Fig. 2 is a similar sketch showing their relationship at the time ofthreading the carrier.

four different working positions.

Fig. 3 is a similar sketch showing their relationship after the threadcarrier has been sent through the warp shed and prior to the severing ofthe thread.

Fig. 4 is a similar sketch showing their relationship after severing ofthe thread and while rethreading the feeder clamp.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the feed control and feeding mechanism andthe manner of its attachment to the base of a loom.

Fig. 6 is an end view of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is an end view of the radially assembled thread feeders showinghow the feeding clamps are arranged with respect to the thread carrier.

Fig. 8 is a side elevatlonof the locking device towbe used in connectionwith operation of the feeding mechanism.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the locking device showing one of thelocking heads in operative position.

Fig. 10 is a detail view of one of the feeding clamps with the grippingjaws in an open position.

Fig. 11 is a similar view with the jaws in a closed position.

Fig. 12 is a plan view of Fig. 10.

Fig. '7a is an end view of the assembled'feeder clamps and theirrelationship to the individual bobbins, and common thread carrier.

Fig. 10a is a detail view of a feeding clamp and thread carrier, showinghow the thread is transmitted to thecarrier.

Fig. 12a is a plan view of Fig. 10 with additional impact means shownfor the operation of the feeding clamp.

On the accompanying drawings an exemplification of the novel feedingmeans is shown diagrammatically, Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 showing theentire arrangement seen from the side and in For the sake of clearness Ihave shown only one feeding instrumentality, one thread spool only andso on, but it should be understood'that underactual working conditions'aplurality of groups of this kind are provided on a loom or weavingmachine.

'Figures 5 and 6 represent diagrammatically the means employed in thisembodiment for the operation and control of the feeding lever. Figure '7shows the manner'of mounting the feeding levers. Figures 8 and 9 show alocking device to be used in connection with the operation of thefeeding levers and in two different operating positions.

Figures 10, 11 and 12 illustrate the thread clamp provided on eachfeeding lever, the clamp being shown in vertical'section in Figures 10and 11 and in Figure 12 in horizontal section. Upon the machine frame aa plurality of feeding levers 0 (Figs. 1 and 7) are rockingly disposedin conformity with the particular number of filling threads of differentkinds or of different color, the levers being provided at their freeends with clamping means for the purpose of gripping the end of afilling thread 6. The bearings c1 of the feeding levers which arerockable in a vertical plane are arranged in a circle, as appears fromFig. 7 of the drawings, so that the several feeding levers are radiallydisposed. Fig. 7a shows the circularly arranged assemblage of the bobbinspool bandhow the threads e run from each spool to the'clamps d of theoscillating feeding lever '0. Upon rocking the particular feeding leverc in the forward direction, the thread clamp mounted thereon is moved tothe center of the circle of bearing means and is caused to becomeengaged with the weaving thread carrier 1 centrally disposed withrelation to the bearings 01. As illustrated in the co-pendingapplication Serial No. 459,193, the thread carrier is provided with awedge-shaped clamping member which takes the thread from the advancedfeeding clamp. In this specification in Fig. 10a the thread transfer isshown to take place when an impact member d strikes the third resilientclamp d d, which causes the wedge shaped head d to pass between the twojaws d d which are thereby forced apart and the thread c thus released.The thread is clamped to the thread carrier by pressing the Wedge-shapedmember Z1 into thread carrier Z. Before the lever c swings the jaws d dare again closed by an impact member d This forces the resilient jaws (1d rearwardly, so that then the two jaws d a can act resiliently withrespect to each other, engaging the thread e. Each filling thread 6 isdelivered from a stationary filling spool b and is guided by the eyes 1,f1, the thread braking means g and the spring-aeting thread tensioning'means 11, so as to enter the thread clamp d on the feeding lever 0.However, the thread e may be guided in any other suitable manner bydispensing with one or more of the guiding and tensioning members. Abovethe weaving shuttle Z which cooperates with a plurality of feedinglevers c a horizontally movable movable rod h is disposed in thebearings 7; of the machine frame the front end of which is provided witha rockable thread clamp i for the taking hold of the fresh end of thefilling thread obtained by the cutting of the pick and for the purposeof transferring this end intothe upwardly oscillated feeding clamp 11.

In the representation according to Fig. 1 the gripping thread carrier Zis in the thread shooting position. The rod h which operates as thethread-taking up means has become sufficiently advanced for its threadclamping means i to become situated in the vicinity of the edge of thefabricand above the pointed end of the not yet inserted weaving threadcarrier. The fabric itself is represented by the warp threads m whichare shown as points in section through the shed. The feeding lever c isstill in its lower inoperative position. The thread tensioner n is soarranged that it produces a slightly spring-acting tension upon thefilling thread e, thereby keeping the thread e always taut. Thetensioning means may however be dispensed with in certain cases withinthe scope of this invention.

In the position of parts according .to Fig. 2 the feeding lever c is inthe raised position with its thread clamp d in engagement with thethread carrier 1 which in this position takes hold of the end of thefilling thread by means of the clamp orthe like provided at its rearwardend, but not shown in the drawings, while causing at the same time theopening of the feeding clamp d in a positive manner. Thereupon theweaving shuttle Z is thrown through the shed and thereby draws thefilling thread off from the filling the rod h isopened and the end'ofthe fillingcarrier Z is restored to its shooting position and' so as tobecome adapted to take hold of the fresh end of filling thread obtainedby the cutting. Thereu'pon the shown in Fig. 4. In this position theclamp i of thread is now transferred to'the particular raised feedinglever c the' thread clamp 11 of which has been closed by means not shownin the drawings.

This returning of the'thre ad is aided by the thread tensi'oning means nas far as necessary,

inasmuch as a certain, though not considerable pulling action is therebyproduced upon the thread. The thread returning rod h is then for wardlyreciprocated whileits clamp i is opened and swung upwards and theweaving'thread the feeding lever c is returned to its position of restshown in Fig. l.

The thread clamp provided on each of the rockable feeding levers ccomprises two clamping jaws d1, (12 (Figures 10 to 12) which areengageable with the end of the filling thread and are supported onspring-acting arms d3, d4. An

additional locking jaw d5 is provided at right angle with relation tothe clamping jaws d1, dz and which is likewise supported by aspring-acting arm (16. When the filling thread is transferred to theweaving shuttle I (Fig. 1) the two clamping jaws d1, d2 are positivelyspread apart, so

that the additional jaw :15 by its spring-action is adapted to lockinglyenter' between the clamping jaws d1, d2, as appears from Fig.-12 of thedrawings. The filling thread e'is then disengaged and is free to looselypass through the thread clamp during the insertion of the weft. As soonas the thread restorer of returning means It occupies the positionaccording to Fig. 4'the locking jaw d5 is forced back'by the action-of astop daas shown in Fig. 12a, so that the two'other jaws d1, (12 mayagain assume their clamping position in engagement with the fresh end offilling thread by the action of their spring-acting supporting arms.

The automatic selection and the control of the several feeding levers cis effected in the similar manner as in the case of the exchange ofshuttles or of the adjustment of shuttle boxes in the ordinary looms,that is to say by the use of an endless band of paper t (Figures 5 and6) which is perforated in conformity with the changing of filling threadand which is given a stepwise movement. One manner in which thisstepwise movement may be obtained 'is by the pinwheel and cam disc"'mechanism' (Fig. 5) a pinwheel u is provided on the axis of the rolleru which is advanced for definite short steps by means of a rotatable camdisc u, but any other known means of obtaining such a stepwise movementmay be used. Above the band of paper eye qr in which the free left handend of a rod .12 is guided. Upon its lower side this rod has a sotp mwhich upon the descent of the particular.feelerneedleqcooperatingtherewith is -moved into the'path-of areciprocating arresting bar 122. The other right hand end of the rod 12is connected to a two-armedlever'w which is pivotally secured at 1121 bya stud" or the like on the frame a of the machine. The other end of thelever w is in-engagement with an approximately semi-circular slide a:which is likewise'rotatably mountedto the frame a of the machine. Thesection a: of the annular slide carries an ear-dike extension x1 whichis slotted with an inclined slot 1:2 in which the left hand end of "arod 0 is guided the right hand end of which is linked to thecorresponding feeding lever c. In view of the fact that each feedinglever 0 corresponds to a sliding member :0, a rod 0 and a feeler needleq, not only the feeler levers and the rods 1). but also the ring-shapedslide a: are arranged parallel with and close to each other. The. rodso'are also disposed parallel to each other but around a circle, inasmuchas the feeding levers c are circularly arranged. Inview thereof theear-like extensions 101 provided on the several slidingrings a: and theinclined slots :mare likewise arranged so as to be staggeringly,disposed with relation to each other, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6of thedrawings. Each rod 0 is provided with: a groove or a crankedportion 01 which becomes engaged with the segment-like knife p1 of areciprocating bar-p upon the rais- 'ing of the'rod 0, the said bar pbeing horizontally and displaceably guided in the bearings pa providedin the machine frame. The segmentshaped knife in is of a size to. extendover a plurality of adjacently disposed rods 0, so that several of suchrods 0 may be alternatingly engaged direction of the arrow. The inclinedslots: provided in the sliding ring section is thereby caused to movethe rod 0 engaged therewith somewhat upwards, so that the groove orcrank portion 01 thereof is engaged with the segment-shaped knife 91 ofthe bar 1). As a result thereof the corresponding feeding lever c isrocked upwards upon the forward movement of the bar p and segmentalknife m by the action of the rod 0 being then in the operative position,and in'this position the corresponding thread clamp'd'is made to becomeengaged with the weaving thread carrier. In this position the feedinglever c with the thread clamp at will remain, until the filling threadhas been completely inserted and the fresh and of the filling thread hasbeen again secured at the thread clamp. Thereupon the bar 1) is returnedand by its segmental knife m it causes the feeding lever c to be rockedback to its position of rest. Im-

mediately thereafter the stopping bar 0: is moved back to its left-handterminal position and is disengaged from the stop in of the rod 1) whichlatter thereupon is returned to its initial position by spring action asfor instance by a spring 1 acting upon the lever w together with saidcorresponding lever w and with the sliding ring section :0. By means notshown herein the feeler needle is raised together with the rod 11, sothat the stop in is out of the way at the next advancing movement of thestopping or arresting'bar v2.

The feeler needles q are bent at their upper ends and are provided witha blade-shaped head 1". The heads of all the feeder needles are disposedclosely adjacent each other as appears from Figures 8 and 9, so thatthey will guide each other. Underneath the heads r a box or container .2is mounted with a number of balls of rolls 5, corre sponding to thenumber of heads and ordinarily disposed in cavities 21 of the bottom therelative position of which is so arranged with relation to the heads 1that the balls are disposed alternatingly or staggeringly with relationto the blades of the heads r. If a feeler needle q drops into a hole ofthe paper band t its head 1' will at the same time penetrate into a rowof balls, forcing the balls sideways out of their bearing cavities,

as seen more clearly in Fig. 9. The balls will then lock the other head1', inasmuch as they will now be disposed directly underneath theblades. Thus'only one feeler needle is in position to 00- cupy thelowest pointof movement. If two feeler needles should descendsimultaneously, thus for instance as a result of faulty perforation oron account of damaging of the paper band, their heads are arresting eachother already upon entering the rows of balls. The feeler needles arethereby prevented from occupying their low position which is necessaryfor the operation of the stops v1, v2, so that the simultaneous andinjurious rocking of two feeding levers is sure to be avoided.

The invention has been described herein only in its broad features andit will have to be understood that it is open to modifications andchanges to suit varying conditions of operation, and without therebydeviating from the principles of the invention as set forth in theappended claims. a

I claim:- 1. In a thread-feeding device for looms, a stationary weftfurnishing bobbin, a rockable feeding lever spaced therefrom, grippingmeans on said lever, engageable with the weft, a reciprocable grippingthread carrier engageable I feeding lever. spaced therefrom, grippingmeans on said lever, a fabric, a gripping thread carrier, engageablewith the gripping means in the swung-out position of the lever, andmovable through said fabric, additional lengthwise reciprocable grippingmeans, engageable with the weft-ends at the side of the fabric and withthe gripping means and adapted to take hold of the free end of thesevered-weft and to deliver same to the gripping means, and tensioningmeans for the weft intermediate the lever and the bobbin.

3. In a thread-feeding device for looms, a

stationary weft furnishing bobbin, a rockable.

' means, and engageable with the gripping means in the swung-outposition ofuthe lever, androciprocatingly movable throughthe fabric, and

additional gripping meanslengthwise reciprocable in parallelism with thethread carrier, and engageable at the side of the fabric with thesevered weft and with the gripping means and adapted to deliver saidweft into the gripping means. I

4. In a thread-feeding device for looms, a plurality of stationaryweft-bobbins, carrying tissue-forming wefts, a plurality of feedinglevers 30 spaced therefrom corresponding to the'bobbins, gripping meanson said levers, means for releasing said gripping means for'free passageof the weft through said gripping means, individual rocking means foreach of said levers, a movable control pattern,.and feelers engagingsaid pattern andmovable with relation thereto and operatively connectedto said rocking means, locking means for the feelers, a tissue-fabric, areciprocable gripping thread carrier intermediate the fabric and thegripping means and engaging said gripping means in a certain position ofthe corresponding levers, and movable through the fabric.

5. In a thread-feeding device for looms, a plurality of stationaryweft-bobbins, carrying tissue-forming wefts, a plurality of feedinglevers for the wefts, spaced from the bobbins, gripping means for theweft on said levers, a tissue-fabric, a gripping-thread carrierreciprocable through the fabric and disposed intermediate the same andthe grippingmeans, and engageable with said means, a movable controlpattern, a plurality of feeler-levers corresponding to the number ofbobbins and of the levers, rocking means for the levers, spring-operatedlinkconnection between the feeler levers and the rocking means,arresting means for said linkconnection, controlling extension bars,adjacently disposed and connected to the feeder levers, pointed terminalportions on said bars and a plurality of roller-balls below saidterminal portions, and normally disposed intermediate thereof, andsideways yieldable upon the descent of any of such bars.

6. In a thread-feeding device for looms, a plurality of stationaryweft-carrying and distributing bobbins, a tissue-fabric, a grippingthread carrier at one side of the fabric and reciprocable therethrough,rockable feeder-levers for said thread carrier, gripping means on thelevers, engageable with the thread carrier, and carrying and guiding thewefts from the bobbins to the thread carrier, a control pattern, aplurality of parallel feelers, corresponding to the bobbins and thelevers and engaging the pattern, and movable with relation thereto, aplurality of adjacently disposed, substantially semi-circular, steeringrings, spring-actuated link-connection between thesteering rings and thefeelers, later- 130 ally and lengthwise movable controlling barsconnected to said ringsand linked to, the feederlevers, and holdingmeans for said controlling bars.

7. In a thread-feeding device for looms, a plu- 135 rality of stationaryweft-carrying and distributing bobbins, a tissue fabric, a grippingthread carrier at one side of the fabric and reciprocable therethrough,rockable feeder-levers for each of said bobbins and said thread carrier,grip- 140 ping means on said levers, carrying and guiding the wefts andengaging the thread carrier in the erect position of the levers, amovable control pattern, a plurality of feelers, corresponding to thebobbins and to the levers engageable with 14 the. pattern, and axiallymovable, a plurality of substantially adjacently disposed, substantiallysemi-circular slides, link-connection between said slides, and thecorresponding feelers, arresting means for said link-connection, axiallymov- 150 able steering rods, linked to the levers, and slotconnection ofeach of said rods with the corresponding slide, and reciprocable holdingmeans, engaging said rods in a certain position thereof, andreciprocable holding means for the link-connection of the slides.

8. In a thread-feeding device for looms, a plurality of stationaryweft-carrying and distributing bobbins, a plurality of correspondingfeederlevers, rockingly and radially disposed, a freely reciprocatingthread carrier centrally disposed with relation to said levers, grippingmeans on said levers, engaging the thread carrier in certain positionsof the levers, means for repositioning the end of a thread in saidgripping means, a tissue-fabric, engageable by said thread carrier, androcking and controlling means for said levers.

9. In a thread-feeding device for looms, a plurality of stationaryweft-carrying and distributing bobbins, a plurality of correspondingfeederlevers, rockingly and radially disposed, gripping means on saidlevers carrying and guiding the weft of the corresponding bobbin, athread carrier centrally disposed with relation to said 1evers, andengageable with the gripping means of the operated feeder-lever, aplurality of substantially adjacently disposed, substantiallysemicircular slides, a slotted guiding projection on each of saidslides, and staggeringly disposed with relation to each other, operatingrods in said slotted projections pivoted to corresponding feed-levers,reciprocable arresting and securing bars, engageable with said rods, astepwise movable pattern, and movable feelers, engaging said pattern andspring-actuated linkconnection between said feelers and the semicircularslides, and locking means for the link connection.

10. In a thread-feeding device for looms, a stationary weft supplybobbin, a rockable feeding lever, gripping means on said leverengageable with the weft and a freely reciprocating gripping threadcarrier including means to coact with saidv gripping means andadditional lengthwise movable gripping means, engageable anddisengageable with the weft and with said gripping means forrepositioning of the weft in the latter. ,11. In a multiple threadfeeding device for looms, a plurality of radially spaced, rockablefeeding levers, thread gripping means on said levers engageable with theweft from individual weft supply bobbins, a common, freelyreciprocating, gripping thread carrier to coact with said gripping meansand control means for controlling the order in which the gripping meanscoact with the thread carrier and means forrepositioning the thread inthe gripping means after placing of the weft in the warp shed.

12. In a multiple thread feeding device for looms, as defined by claim11, a locking mecha-- nism operatively connected to the control meansfor preventing the simultaneous rocking of more than one feeding lever.

RUDOLF ROSSMANN.

